Understanding weight management for people with bipolar disorder
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The development of a weight management intervention using social support and digital technology for individuals with bipolar disorder
IRAS ID
207987
Contact name
Natalie Chalmers
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Glasgow
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 24 days
Research summary
Background: Approximately 68% of people who are in treatment for bipolar disorder are obese or overweight. There are few trials testing lifestyle interventions (tackling healthy eating and physical activity) to reduce obesity in this population. There are also no trials testing interventions which aim to impact on long term maintenance of behaviour change associated with weight loss. Furthermore there are very few qualitative studies exploring weight related issues and challenges for this group.
The study aims are:
1. to complete a systematic review to investigate available interventions for weight management in individuals with bipolar disorder and to explore the theoretical basis of these interventions.
2. to explore in the systematic review and qualitative interviews the weight management experiences of people with bipolar disorder and the barriers and facilitators to change in this population, as well as the influence of family, friends and health professionals.
3. to explore the social networks of people with bipolar disorder to try to understand how this might be mobilised to help them in their weight management attempts.Design:Stage 1 will consist of a systematic review of the research evidence on weight loss interventions for people who have bipolar disorder and barriers and facilitators to behaviour change around weight management. This will be a mixed methods review exploring quantitative as well as qualitative studies. In stage 2, interviews will be conducted with people with bipolar disorder, their families and clinicians involved in their care. Exploring issues around weight management, diet and physical activity in this population as well as barriers and facilitators to change. In this stage we will also collect social network data to explore the nature of social networks in this group and the potential for intervening. Stage 3 will use information from stage 1 and 2 to develop ideas for a theory based intervention.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
16/WS/0259
Date of REC Opinion
20 Dec 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion